All Your Fates (Currently editing/updating)

Chapter 27: The Bad Idea

And then the lab was there before us at the end of the hallway and we bolted toward it. I slowed my stride with unease, noticing the big red door was ajar and...slightly unhinged. That moment of hesitation was all David needed, and he started to break ahead of me. I saw the back of him get further ahead. I shook my head, pushing myself even harder to race to keep up.

"Pepper!" I heard David cry when he burst in the room before I did. And when I slid into the room on my heels, finally stopping with a rubber sole squeal on the freshly polished linoleum, I could see the room was in shambles like a hurricane had blown in and a solitary figure slumped to her knees in the middle of it. Her back was towards me. Pepper.

David crossed in front of her, dropping to a knee and reaching out his hand. His eyes full of gentle concern.

"Pepper..." David began, but then she flung her arms around his neck and began to sob so he put his arms reluctantly around hers and shot me a look with his chin over her shoulder that asked for forgiveness...for why I couldn't begin to imagine. Or perhaps didn't want to.

After a moment, David pulled away from their embrace and asked her what happened. Pepper replied with a shaky heaving sob, "He...told me...to leave you a message."

"Who?" David asked but I answered in Pepper's stead, and felt her stiffen at the sound of my voice signaling my presence, "Gabriel Rath."

Pepper turned her heard slightly towards my way and her sobbing stopped. Her mouth barely moved as she mouthed, "Yes."

"What was the message," David asked with soft eyes but Pepper shook her head and turned fully to face me. I could see her face was streaked with mascara and her cheeks were blotchy with tight white splotches. The poor thing was a wreck... she looked like I felt.

"He said," Pepper started, staring up at my face with an accusatory glare, "'There is more than one way to skin a cats.' He made sure I used the word cats."

David and I both looked at each other and locked eyes. We knew exactly what that meant.

***

David's POV

I locked eyes with Emma and her steely determination gave me a chill.

"You need to teach me now," Emma said coldly.

"Ha!" My voice croaked, but Emma just kept on staring at me. "You can't be serious!" I cried and stood up to her, ignoring Pepper slumped on the floor. "What are you going to do, Emma? How are you going to stop him from killing me? Or him? Or even you?"

She looked away for a moment before her blue eyes darted back to flash on mine and she jutted out her chin, "I'll figure a way."

"HOW!!??" I screamed and tore at my hair. She didn't know what she was saying. It was madness. I couldn't let her...I couldn't even think of letting her go...

"Are you saying you can't help me? Or won't?" Emma challenged, tossing her cool blonde head back.

"Emma...you can't possibly ask me to put you in danger....not for him, not for me, not for anybody," I said drooping my shoulders but keeping my tone firm and resolute. My head was shaking back and forth. Her eyes flitted to the floor and for a moment I thought I had won. And she wasn't so stubborn after all.

I could feel Pepper's eyes on both of us, and I remembered her presence and felt bad that she had somehow been dragged into this nightmare that seemed so out of her sphere. Not like this was part of the everyday for me either. But I couldn't help feeling somewhat responsible for bringing this all on. Ever since...Alice.

Pepper looked back at me with wild eyes but a calm disposition. Whatever Gabriel had done to her...she had survived it, and was fine and would be fine and I took small comfort in that. But I resisted folding her into my arms and comforting her. That's what the moment called for and that's what I felt compelled to do, but Emma was there and...And as far as Pepper goes, I realized I was beginning to like her a bit more than I ought to.

"The way I see it," Emma's voice began slow and calculating, "You have no choice but to show me how."

"I said no," I clenched my jaw. Emma sighed and turned from me, taking a few casual steps back and forth, considering my denial.

"Alright, then. It's no. But you know, if you don't...I am going to crossover anyways. And then how can I control coming back if I don't know what I ought to know. Whatever it is you are keeping from me."

I looked back at Emma. She was standing in a defiant pose amongst the riffraff of the lab, her legs two feet apart in ivory resolution. And I sighed knowing now she was the type determined to get her own way at all costs once she got an idea into her head.

"Fine," I finally sighed. I chewed my cheek and searched for my smokes, which I had only been able to afford again. And then, after lighting one up and cursing myself silently, I showed her the way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N:

Skinning cats, huh? I kind of hate where this is going. I kind of love it too, though. Know what I mean? Can't wait to see what comes next.

We're closing in on the finale of act one, then we will be taking a break over the holidays. But don't worry - we have a few surprises lined up to get you through xmas! We are going to miss you while we are on vacation though, so make sure you send us a bunch of extra love in the comments to keep our hearts warm.

Lots'a'love

//Tom

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All Your Fates © 2012 Carrie Cutforth, Jim Martin and Tom Liljeholm. All Rights Reserved.